1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image input apparatus that can transmit input images, a control method therefore, and a storage medium on which a control program for the image input apparatus is stored.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional digital camera merely records image signals, obtained by a photographing operation, on a storage medium appropriate for the camera being used. Recently, however, not only are digital image data being compressed and recorded internally by cameras, but as needed, image data are transmitted externally by using communication means incorporated in the cameras. Furthermore, in addition to communication means being installed, provision has been made for the mounting in cameras of communication cards, similar in shape to memory cards, that permit the implementation of modem and various other communication functions.
An example of this type of camera has already been disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 9-83930.
However, in this prior art, when an image recorded by a digital camera is to be transmitted externally using communication means provided by an added media card or permanently installed in the camera, the communication means reads the image directly from internal memory. Therefore, if the communication means, such as a modem or a radio transmitter, has a low transmission speed, an extended time is required to retrieve and transmit images stored in the camera memory, and during the transmission process, no new images can be added since the performance of the photographing process is inhibited.
In addition, when the transmission of image data must be repeated because the connection to a communication line is lost or the quality of the transmission afforded by the line is deteriorated, the image data must be retransmitted, from the beginning, and all other camera operations are inhibited until the retransmission has been completed. Further, the electricity required for the transmission of the same data is simply wasted.